1,208 research outputs found
Core of the Magnetic Obstacle
Rich recirculation patterns have been recently discovered in the electrically
conducting flow subject to a local external magnetic termed "the magnetic
obstacle" [Phys. Rev. Lett. 98 (2007), 144504]. This paper continues the study
of magnetic obstacles and sheds new light on the core of the magnetic obstacle
that develops between magnetic poles when the intensity of the external field
is very large. A series of both 3D and 2D numerical simulations have been
carried out, through which it is shown that the core of the magnetic obstacle
is streamlined both by the upstream flow and by the induced cross stream
electric currents, like a foreign insulated insertion placed inside the
ordinary hydrodynamic flow. The closed streamlines of the mass flow resemble
contour lines of electric potential, while closed streamlines of the electric
current resemble contour lines of pressure. New recirculation patterns not
reported before are found in the series of 2D simulations. These are composed
of many (even number) vortices aligned along the spanwise line crossing the
magnetic gap. The intensities of these vortices are shown to vanish toward to
the center of the magnetic gap, confirming the general conclusion of 3D
simulations that the core of the magnetic obstacle is frozen. The implications
of these findings for the case of turbulent flow are discussed briefly.Comment: 14 pages, 9 figures, submitted to Journal of Turbulenc
Stripped elliptical galaxies as probes of ICM physics: I. Tails, wakes, and flow patterns in and around stripped ellipticals
Elliptical cluster galaxies are progressively stripped of their atmospheres
due to their motion through the intra-cluster medium (ICM). Deep X-ray
observations reveal the fine-structure of the galaxy's remnant atmosphere and
its gas tail and wake. This fine-structure depends on dynamic conditions
(galaxy potential, initial gas contents, orbit through the host cluster),
orbital stage (early infall, pre-/post-pericenter passage), and ICM plasma
properties (thermal conductivity, viscosity, magnetic field structure). We aim
to disentangle dynamic and plasma effects in order to use stripped ellipticals
as probes of ICM plasma properties. This first paper of a series investigates
the hydrodynamics of progressive gas stripping by means of inviscid
hydrodynamical simulations. We distinguish a long-lasting initial relaxation
phase and a quasi-steady stripping phase. During quasi-steady stripping, the
ICM flow around the remnant atmosphere resembles the flow around solid bodies,
including a `deadwater' region in the near wake. Gas is stripped from the
remnant atmosphere predominantly at its sides via Kelvin-Helmholtz
instabilities. The downstream atmosphere is largely shielded from the ICM wind
and thus shaped into a tail. Observationally, both, this `remnant tail' and the
stripped gas in the wake can appear as a `tail', but only in the wake can
galactic gas mix with the ambient ICM. While the qualitative results are
generic, the simulations presented here are tailored to the Virgo elliptical
galaxy M89 (NGC 4552) for the most direct comparison to observations. Papers II
and III of this series describe the effect of viscosity and compare to Chandra
and XMM-Newton observations, respectively.Comment: ApJ, in press. 19 pages, 13 figures. Clarifications added, text
restructured. Conclusions unchange
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